“Tax the Rich” is the top recycled Democrat talking point heading into 2026 midterms, even though the Democrats are almost completely funded by billionaires. They are hoping voters won’t notice the irony so they can push another tax hike in the name of improving Michigan’s abysmal education system, currently ranked 44th in America.
Invest in MI Kids is proposing a 5% tax hike to households making more than $500,000 per year individually or $1 million jointly.
Although these “high income” households make up only 0.03% of Michigan’s taxpayer base, they already pay 35% of Michigan’s state income tax. Why would wealthy Michiganders stay in Michigan to pay a 9.25% state income tax when they can move to one of nine other states that don’t even have income tax?
The proposal could actually result in losing over a third of Michigan’s income tax revenue. Wealthy Michiganders will simply establish primary residence at their Florida homes where taxes are lower. The push to abolish property taxes will sweeten the deal. Not only does the excessive tax increase drive the rich out of state, but it will also discourage wealthy business owners, medical experts, and investors from making Michigan home.
Notably missing from a review of the Invest in MI Kids proposal and website are students, children, and any real plan to improve school performance.
The proposal says the money will be used “to support classrooms in local school districts, including funding for career and technical education, attracting and retaining high quality educators, and reducing class sizes.”
How does that correlate to better education results? Michigan has been steadily giving more money to our public school systems for decades and education outcomes keep dropping.
As far as “attracting and retaining high quality educators,” Michigan schools have increased their staff by 14% while losing 9% of enrollment. Why do we need more teachers?
While we’re at it: If enrollment is dropping, why are class sizes a concern and how does more money solve it? If anything, schools should be looking at consolidating facilities to adjust for enrollment declines.
Some answers might be in who’s funding Invest in MI Kids. Tides Foundation, whose mission is to advance social justice, is one of the top donors, contributing $235,000.
The Tides Foundation’s top sponsors include Black Lives Matter, George Soros’ Open Society Foundation, Anti-Israel Campus Protests, The Green New Deal Network, and the No Kings Protests. What do any of these causes have to do with schools?
Do we want more woke programming in Michigan’s public schools? Perhaps that’s what’s meant by “support classrooms in local school districts.”
Don’t sign petitions for Invest in MI Kids. And thank a rich Michigander for funding our schools. We don’t need to drive them out of our state. They’re welcome to stay, create jobs, and fill our state coffers.
Anna Hoffman is a hockey mom of three living in Ann Arbor. Follow her on X @shoesonplease.
